“Yes, sir.”
The bishop dropped back in his chair. What problems 332 were these parish affairs anyway! Here was a girl, persisting in saying she had been happy in guilt, when the bishop knew—or thought he knew—that all sinners were miserable!
“But at least you are not happy now?”
“No, sir.”
“And why?”
“Because,” replied poor Lisa, with the utmost simplicity, “I can never see Monsieur Jacques Haret again.”
“You may go.”
Lisa turned and walked rapidly away.
Soon after that I passed through the village, and noticed the bishop’s coach in front of the priest’s modest house. The two brothers were coming out of the door. Father Benart was saying:
“There are many inexplicable things in a country parish, my brother. It is not in my power to make Lisa Embden, or any other creature, feel happiness in the pursuit of good. If I can keep them a little out of the path of evil, it is all I can hope for.”